McDonald’s pressed to cut antibiotics from sustainable beef – State Watch: Industrial Hemp - Chicago-area district withdraws form school lunch program

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MCDONALD’S PRESSED TO CUT ANTIBIOTICS FROM SUSTAINABLE BEEF: “Should the definition of sustainable beef carry restrictions on the use of nontherapeutic antibiotics? That’s what a handful of consumer advocacy groups are trying to convince McDonald’s, but they have an uphill battle thanks in large part to the other corporations to which the world’s largest seller of hamburgers has allied itself,” reports Pro Agriculture’s Bill Tomson this morning.

“McDonald’s put the livestock and meat processor industries on notice this year that it planned to buy only ‘verified sustainable’ beef by 2016. To determine how to satisfy such a standard, the company has turned to the organization Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, which is requesting comment on a set of five broad principles and multiple criteria. The deadline for comments on the draft report was Friday, and a final report is expected to be completed in July or August.

“Among the many groups the restaurant giant will hear from is a coalition of 12 organizations, led by Pew Charitable Trusts, who see the McDonald’s effort as a chance to clean up the use of nontherapeutic antibiotics on livestock. In a four-page letter sent Friday, the coalition suggests GRSB’s criteria for sustainability include measures to improve sanitary conditions at concentrated animal feeding operations so that antibiotics are not needed to prevent illnesses as well as to require the cattle industry document antibiotic usage.” For the rest of Tomson’s article, Pro subscribers can click here: http://politico.pro/1oHqQuO

HAPPY MONDAY! Welcome to Morning Ag where your host thinks that hungry college students stealing food that looks like popular Mexican staples out of a common area dorm fridge is not a good way to gauge potential public acceptance for meal worm tacos: http://bit.ly/S0cUhH, but maybe that’s just me. You know the deal: thoughts, news, tips, cricket quesadilla recipes? Send them to jhopksinson@politico.com or @jennyhops. Follow us @Morning_Ag and @POLITICOPro.

MA’s MONDAY MORNING BUZZ: This week will be all about the nutrition programs maintained by the Agriculture Department, and a few of its other charges. The House Committee on Appropriations Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies subcommittee is holding a mark up Tuesday on the 2015 agriculture appropriations bill. Of the many issues expected to be brought up during the session: new rules governing school lunches, white potatoes in supplemental nutrition programs, sugar policy and country of origin labeling. Look for Pro Agriculture to be all over the discussion this week. Details on the markup here: http://1.usa.gov/1n4jTjf

Also, it will be a big week for trade. Negotiators for the Trans Pacific Partnership are meeting Monday and Tuesday in Singapore in an attempt to iron out issues remaining between the 12 nations involved in the talks. This is the first meeting of the group since Japan and the United States sat down in April to hash out sticking points over farm products and automobiles. Meanwhile, all this week in Arlington, Virginia, U.S and European Union negotiators will be attempting to make progress on the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. For a preview of the fifth round of TTIP talks by Pro Trade’s Doug Palmer, subscribers can click here: http://politico.pro/1gbhoNs. And for a preview of the latest TPP talks by Pro Trade’s Adam Behsudi, subscribers can click here: http://politico.pro/1gfkZtS

STATE WATCH — INDUSTRIAL HEMP: Legislation to allow for the cultivation of industrial hemp saw a considerable uptick this year following the inclusion in the farm bill of a measure that allows for states that have laws permitting production of the crop to participate in research programs — a move seen as a first step in eventual federal reversal on long-standing policy that regulates the material as a controlled dangerous substance. However, even as states get in line to take advantage of the new federal provisions, it seems unlikely that it will be a smooth process. Officials in Kentucky, who are seeking to be the first to start cultivating the crop, are now asking a U.S. district court in Louisville for an injunction to force federal authorities to release a shipment of 250 pounds of hemp seed from Italy.

Prior to the passage of the farm bill, 11 states had rules on the books to legalize the cultivation of industrial hemp, and since then others have moved quickly to do the same. A measure in Utah was signed by the governor, March 20, followed shortly by Indiana, March 26. Nebraska followed suit, April 2, then Hawaii, April 30, and Tennessee, May 14. Meanwhile, South Carolina’s legislature signed off on a measure, Tuesday, sending it off to Gov. Nikki Haley’s desk for a final signature, and a bill in Missouri is in a similar situation. However, that number could continue to increase as other states that are still in session move to debate the merits of legalizing industrial hemp production. Among them:

--Illinois: Lawmakers have until the legislative session closes at the end of the month to finalize HB 5085, which would allow the state’s department of agriculture to conduct and encourage research on industrial hemp cultivation. The House passed the measure in April and the Senate appears poised to do the same: http://bit.ly/1iTht38

-- New Jersey: Lawmakers in the Garden State are trying again after Gov. Chris Christie pocket vetoed an industrial hemp measure from 2013 in early January. However, it doesn’t seem to be going well. A2719 was introduced Feb. 24, but has seen little action since: http://bit.ly/1sBjO8f

-- New York: A set of companion bills — A 9140 and S 7047 — introduced in March, aim to permit research on industrial hemp in the state, though no action has been taken. The legislative session in New York ends June 19: http://bit.ly/1n4XCC2

POLL: GOP VOTERS BACK IMMIGRATION REFORM: A new POLITICO poll of voters in districts with competitive races in November has found that 71 percent of voters, and nine in 10 Hispanics, backed comprehensive immigration reform, POLITICO’s Katie Glueck reports. “The support spans party lines: 64 percent of Republican respondents back comprehensive immigration reform, as do 78 percent of Democrats and 71 percent of independents.” The full story is available here: http://politico.pro/1sIpmht

CHICAGO-AREA DISTRICT WITHDRAWS FROM SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM: In case you missed it, a suburban Chicago school district is looking to withdraw from USDA’s National School Lunch Program, with its superintendent arguing that the money provided by the government for participating is not enough to compensate for new nutrition standards set to soon go into effect. A Boston NPR station interviews the school superintendent here: http://bit.ly/1sJa5Na

IS CANADA READY TO REMOVE RAW MILK BAN?: A push is being made in Canada to win over consumers and reverse prohibitions against raw milk sales, but it’s not likely to happen, suggests Sylvain Charlebois, an associate dean at the University of Guelph, in a column for The Gazette, Montreal’s daily newspaper. Sales of raw milk have been banned since 1991 over concerns about dangerous microorganisms, regulations have required milk to be pasteurized in order to be sold in Canada. However, that ban is being challenged by an Ontario dairy farmer, who is leading the fight for the legalization of raw milk and suggests the science showing potential health concerns has been created to support the policy. Charlebois’ full opinion column is here: http://bit.ly/1mBgiuG

TOM COLICCHIO, ACTIVIST CHEF? : Chef Tom Colicchio, of Top Chef and Craft restaurants fame, has made a name for himself recently for his work outside of the kitchen, pushing food policy issues such as GMO labeling and concerns over cuts to the food stamp program from the farm bill, reports the New York Times. “There are a lot of chefs who understand that food has been good to them and, because of that, believe that everyone should have access to good food,” Margarette Purvis, president of the Food Bank for New York City, the largest local anti-hunger group, told the Times. “But Tom has stepped it up to the next level. He’s not only knowledgeable, he’s incredibly committed. And he’s really down there fighting in the trenches.” The full story is available here: http://nyti.ms/1t79w1O

-- The New York Times, in a new series, looks at stories of Mexican and Central American immigrants in Texas: http://nyti.ms/1o4B1XH

-- The Washington Legal Foundation details what’s at stake with this morning’s en banc hearing of the country of origin labeling suit: http://bit.ly/1hW1uBM

-- Beverage companies are banking on “mid-calorie” sodas and other drinks with between 60 and 100 calories per serving, to perk up the faltering soft drink industry, NPR reports: http://n.pr/1lzZU9S

-- Though the vast majority of people say they value and support locally grown foods, the farm-to-table movement has had almost no effect on the conventional food system, according to an op-ed in the New York Times: http://nyti.ms/1gEVenf

-- Municipalities are working to make restaurant health and safety inspections more easily accessible to consumers, including in some cases working with the online review system Yelp, the Seattle Times reports: http://bit.ly/1p4h7fb